Wamunyoro's report on road to 2027

When former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced his 45-day conclave on June 9 in Wamunyoro, he assured the country that he would come out with a formula for identifying a single Presidential candidate in the Opposition.

The conclave, he announced, would come up with the negotiations implementation framework strategy with his fellow Opposition leaders.

The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader said his consultations would also come up with an enhanced plan on Opposition unity, regional consolidations, and his political strategy in case he was not picked as the Opposition’s Presidential flagbearer for the next year’s general election.

Gachagua further revealed his team had concluded that the work of mobilising Kenyans against President William Ruto had largely been completed and that attention should now shift to candidate selection.

He emphasised that if he is not selected, he will personally lead political mobilisation across the country and help deliver what he described as nearly 10 million supporters to the agreed opposition presidential candidate.

What was supposed to be a 45-day conclave turned into a political pilgrimage of 55 days where thousands of Gachagua’s supporters flocked for conversations about the country’s political future.

Wamunyoro residence turned into a political command centre, hosting a series of meetings with politicians, professionals, clergy, opinion leaders and grassroots representatives from across the country.

Aspirants and elected leaders made their way to Wamunyoro as they scrambled for a photo with Gachagua in a political scheme aimed at endearing themselves to Gachagua due to the growing popularity of his party across Mt Kenya region.

Some of the surprise visits at Wamunyoro residence include Safina party leader Jimmy Wanjigi, who visited Gachagua twice last month as they embarked on high-level political consultations focusing on building opposition alliances and strategies to win the high-stakes elections next year.

“I had the benefit of a further enriching and informative consultation with businessman and political strategist Jimi Wanjigi at the Wamunyoro residence today,” Gachagua said

He added that the consultations remain critical to the opposition’s agenda.

“The journey for the liberation of our country is a tough one, and every opinion and advice is crucial. But we shall get there. It is a matter of when, not if. Consultations continue. God bless Kenya,” he said.

On August 19, Gachagua hosted former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara to discuss what he described as the journey to liberate Kenya and the formation of the next administration.

The two leaders are Jubilee Deputy Party Fred Matiang’i allies, and their meeting with Gachagua signaled the two leaders’ resolve to forge a united front to face the Broad-Based administration.

Arguably, one of the most consequential delegations was the Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) that paid Gachagua a courtesy call on August 18 in search of a united presidential strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Gachagua took the time to ask the Kalonzo-led party to form an early partnership before bringing other opposition parties into the arrangement.

“I want to ask for a partnership between the two parties, as we also engage others. The more the merrier,” Gachagua said.

He added, ‘What I am asking is for DCP and Wiper to first unite. Isn’t it, then, we talk to the others. “Between the Wiper Patriotic Front and the DCP, a new government will be formed.”

His request was embraced by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, a close Kalonzo ally, who said the deal could not wait for other political parties.

“My takeaway today is what you [Gachagua] have said. A time has come for DCP and Wiper to put this show on the road and let everyone else come on board,” Wambua said.

“If we wait for each other, those 30 parties to sit down to discuss coalition-making, it may never happen. Let’s start and go. The others will join us on the way.”

Gachagua also sought to remove one of the biggest questions surrounding his position in the opposition negotiations saying he was ready to become the Opposition’s Presidential campaign director.

“The best way to win this election.. The surest way or sure bet... is if the opposition settles on one candidate. I have every intention to be part of the winning team.”

Other than the surprise visits, the Wamunyoro pilgrim turned into a defection’s grounds to a section of Mt Kenya leaders whose allegiance has been to President Ruto.

The leaders, such as Muranga Governor Irungu Kangata, visited Wamunyoro on July 24 and announced that he would be seeking his re-election through the DCP party.

On July 29, Nyandarua governor Kiarie Badilisha was officially welcomed by Gachagua into the DCP Party, saying the party was the region’s and the country’s future.

Other MPs who have decamped to the DCP include Gatundu South’s Gabriel Kagombe, among other government luminaries such as Thuo Mathenge, who chaired Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Institute (KALRI), and former Kirinyaga Women Representative Wangui Ngirici, who resigned as Kenya Seeds Company chairperson.

MCAs from across Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Kiambu, Narok and Kajiado also visited Wamunyoro and declared that they had ditched their parties to DCP.

Delegations from various communities visited Gachagya, including residents from the South Rift region who visited Wamunyoro on July 15 paving way for his tour in Emurua Dikirr last week.

Gachagua used the meeting to strengthen his support base and build new alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Rift Valley seen as a key voting bloc.

The visit attracted considerable political attention because the region hosts part of the larger Kalenjin community, the political base of President Ruto in the Rift Valley.

In July 29, Gachagua met a delegation from Somali community against a backdrop of alleged hate speech by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale who profiled the Agikuyu community by labelling them as hyenas.

During the meeting, Gachagua said his ties with the Somali community were rooted in shared interests and longstanding relations, distancing the community from his political differences with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and other leaders.

He said he would not allow political disputes or instructions from other quarters to interfere with relations between the Mount Kenya region and the Somali community.

“Our relationship with the Somali community is our life and our future. As a leader from Mount Kenya and a leader of Kenya, I will not allow other leaders or anyone else acting on political instructions to come between us and the Somalis,” Gachagua said.

On June 20, the former second-in-command met with a section of leaders from the Maa community, saying the meeting focused on issues affecting the Maasai community and the entire nation.

"We move forward to a better and equal Kenya as a people. I continue to listen to and engage all stakeholders and opinion shapers on what the best one nation deserves, especially at a time like now when we are on the precipice of an economic, social, and political nosedive," Gachagua said.

Following the conclusion of his ‘conclave’ yesterday, it remains to be seen whether he will visit former President Uhuru Kenyatta at his Gatundu residence as he promised on July 11.

Gachagua had intimated that once he finalized his consultative report, he would hand it over to Uhuru for him to get a glimpse of what the region presented on a single Presidential candidate and the unity of the region.

During yesterday's address, Gachagua announced that he was ready to crisscross other parts of the country, saying he had consolidated the region and would leave it in the hands of his foot soldiers led by Nyandarua Senator John Methu.

He reiterated that in case he was not picked as the Opposition's Presidential flagbearer, he would remain committed to the course to unseat Ruto.

“In case I’m not picked, my supporters and I must back a man who is chosen to be the Presidential candidate. There comes a time when a patriot must make sacrifices. I stand ready to take on the fight.I want to make whatever sacrifice to make sure Ruto serves one term. I want to assure the people I will be a uniting factor to get a single Presidential candidate to face Ruto,” he said.

He also announced that he will be visiting other parts of the country such as Nyanza, Coast and Western regions, even as he maintained that other Opposition leaders needed to consolidate their home turfs.

“Let everyone consolidate their regions. Since 1992, I have been involved in successions. I was involved in the Moi succession, Kibaki succession, Uhuru succession, and I'm in the middle of the Ruto succession. The process of winning any election begins with regions; once we all consolidate, the remaining job will be the easiest. Picking a Presidential candidate will be the easiest.”